Crustacean insights

Lobster, crab and some fresh seafood exports to China increased sharply in the first month of the year due to high demand during the Lunar New Year.

The government has decided to thoroughly manage the distribution history of Japanese female crabs to prevent illegal fishing and distribution of domestic female crabs and strengthen the safety of marine products. This measure is in response to the recent increase in imports of Japanese female crabs, which has caused confusion among domestic consumers and fishermen, and the increased possibility that domestic female crabs will be sold as Japanese products. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has announced a partial revision of the ‘Notice on Management of Distribution History of Imported Marine Products’ that includes Japanese female crabs in the target of distribution history management of imported marine products. The distribution history management system for imported marine products is a policy to prevent illegal distribution and disguise of origin, and if problems arise, it will be implemented.

This reflects the growing demand of domestic consumers and the shift in Russia's crab consumption culture. More and more Russian consumers view crab as a familiar delicacy rather than a luxury for high-income people. NTech data shows that in the first nine months of 2024, sales of frozen and chilled crab increased by 52% and sales increased by 112%; sales of canned and pickled crab products increased by 73% and value increased by 100%. Crab is still a niche product in Russia's domestic seafood market. NTech analysis shows that frozen crab accounts for only 0.01% of all fish products sold domestically, and canned and pickled crab products account for only 0.003%. In Russia, the domestic market for crabs is still a niche product. NTech analysis shows that frozen crab accounts for only 0.01% of all fish products sold domestically, and canned and pickled crab products account for only 0.003%. In Russia, the domestic market for crabs is still a niche product. In the fishing industry, crabs account for only 1.7% of the total catch of aquatic biological resources in Russia, but they account for 50% of the country's seafood exports (in monetary terms), mainly exported to Southeast Asia. In the first nine months of 2024, Russian live crab exports to the Asian market increased by 5.1% to 32,100 tons, while exports of frozen and canned crabs decreased by 7.7% to a total of 24,900 tons. Affected by price factors, frozen crabs are more popular in retail than processed crabs: - The average price of frozen crabs is 1,600 rubles per kilogram. - The average price of pickled crabs is 6,700 rubles per kilogram, which makes many potential buyers discouraged. The trend of increasing crab supply in the Russian domestic market is expected to continue in 2025.